Wound care in resource limited community

BACKGROUND: Developing nations are not left out of the prevailing global diabetes epidemic with foot ulcers featuring as the most common complications. Developing nations, known to shoulder about 75% of the global diabetes burden (www.idf.org) by 2035 is really bad news because resources are often scarce whereas amputations often result from untimely or inappropriate foot wound interventions; leading to independency, decrease productivity, depression and even remarkable decrease in quality of life and subsequent death, especially for developing nations.

METHODS: A local pilot study, from January 2014 - 2015 isolating 48 diabetic foot ulcers cases from our diabetic record of 98 regular clients – all are type 2; either with ulcer(s) ± wounds. Special assessment using sample cultures, aggressive debridement, neurology tests with specific tools like 10g monofilaments or vibratip. Cases were further grouped into different special care group of neuropathic ulcers for management.

 RESULTS: Early detection of ulcerations even undetected by the clients had very promising outcome which is further guiding our clinical management approach. Referrals and amputation rates remarkably dropped from 22% in 60 registered diabetes clinic cases to 13%. Despite lack of wound care resources, few available can be of remarkable outcome if adequately improvised.

COCONCLUSION: Most Cameroonians walk daily to farms, work, businesses and others. The quality of life in diabetics is threatened by amputations but wound care experts are capable of impacting the outcome greatly by timely and appropriate interventions. There is an urgent need in developing nations, to increase wound professionals and resources; carry more studies and apply vast approaches in preventing a future of handicapped dependent generation as the globe gaze diabetes explosion on the horizon.